Iron body training questions

I have two questions regarding iron body training.

  1. Rollerbar method. I heard it shouldn’t be used. Instead the goal is to do impact strikes only and only on bones, not muscle. Is this all true?

  2. Sand bucket for grip. Does this help and are there any risk to it?

how long have you been training iron body and what is your style

[QUOTE=bawang;1262940]how long have you been training iron body and what is your style[/QUOTE]

Years ago I went through quite a bit of iron body training when working on the basics of kung fu without ever realizing. Started in Shaolin Do but didn’t get very far since I quit the school. When I was in Shaolin Do I ordered the dit da jow ingredients from Jim Lacy and added in my own alcohol to the mix. The jow probably wasn’t needed but it helped out a lot with the recovery process.

Now I’m studying Dragon. My sifu is pretty opened minded about how we start the training as long as it isn’t something that is going to cause injury. For now, we focus on 3 star blocking* with the dummy and each other. Hits to the ribs to condition the body during training exercises. For legs, the goal was to kick a pole but my legs aren’t at all tough enough for this yet so he recommend that I try to find another method to get them stronger.

I’m just trying to find out which alternative method would be best to follow.

  • I believe it’s called 3 star blocking. When I looked it up on youtube the movement of the arms are similar but the stance work and hands positions are very different.

3 star link

[QUOTE=Wannabemonk;1262975]Years ago I went through quite a bit of iron body training when working on the basics of kung fu without ever realizing. Started in Shaolin Do but didn’t get very far since I quit the school. When I was in Shaolin Do I ordered the dit da jow ingredients from Jim Lacy and added in my own alcohol to the mix. The jow probably wasn’t needed but it helped out a lot with the recovery process.

Now I’m studying Dragon. My sifu is pretty opened minded about how we start the training as long as it isn’t something that is going to cause injury. For now, we focus on 3 star blocking* with the dummy and each other. Hits to the ribs to condition the body during training exercises. For legs, the goal was to kick a pole but my legs aren’t at all tough enough for this yet so he recommend that I try to find another method to get them stronger.

I’m just trying to find out which alternative method would be best to follow.

  • I believe it’s called 3 star blocking. When I looked it up on youtube the movement of the arms are similar but the stance work and hands positions are very different.

3 star link[/QUOTE]

Bodies toughen up natrually through training. I would recommend that you avoid snakeoil salesmen with potions and magic qi practices - simply holding pads for people and doing sparring and basic rolling exerices will begin to toughen you up quite naturally. Rugby players are tougher than almost any so called iron body masters. Sandbags can be used for impact practice, for example on the thighs. And never, ever, take ‘iron body’ advice from someone whose body looks as far from being ‘iron’ as it is poossible to be, lol - and there are quite a few out there. Naturally, those who can’t do this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZOvlJdN37E but claim to have ‘kung fu iron body skill’ have a lot to be embarrassed about, and so tend to emphasise less clear ‘examples’ of so called ‘iron body’. Still, what always impresses me is when people take super powerful kicks to the thighs.

[QUOTE=Wannabemonk;1262975]

I’m just trying to find out which alternative method would be best to follow.

[/QUOTE]

gentle tapping with a stick and neck bridges

[QUOTE=Wannabemonk;1262975]For legs, the goal was to kick a pole but my legs aren’t at all tough enough for this yet so he recommend that I try to find another method to get them stronger.[/QUOTE]

Your teacher doesn’t have an another method to teach you?

[QUOTE=Wannabemonk;1262926]Does this help and are there any risk to it?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Wannabemonk;1262975]My sifu is pretty opened minded about how we start the training as long as it isn’t something that is going to cause injury. For now, we focus on 3 star blocking* with the dummy and each other.[/QUOTE]

If you do iron leg training wrong and then play Xbox for 13 hours, you might die from a stroke.

[QUOTE=-N-;1263011]If you do iron leg training wrong and then play Xbox for 13 hours, you might die from a stroke.[/QUOTE]

wat

sfsdf

[QUOTE=bawang;1263012]wat

sfsdf[/QUOTE]

Blood clots, mang.

[QUOTE=-N-;1263013]Blood clots, mang.[/QUOTE]

that’s why you don’t learn training from watching bloodsport

[QUOTE=bawang;1263012]wat

sfsdf[/QUOTE]

Wii can be slightly less hazardous.

[QUOTE=bawang;1263014]that’s why you don’t learn training from watching bloodsport[/QUOTE]

Bloodsport movie marathon. Darwinism in action. I approve.

if you trained “years ago” and the only kung fu you learned was shaolin do (LOL) I recommend you just let go of your ego and desires and train for health. do some gentle tapping and light weit lifting. you get to stay mobile in your joints, reduce osteoporosis and have better overall health

if u try to go hardcore you gonna get wrecked in 2 months then quit kung fu forever

[QUOTE=Wannabemonk;1262926]I have two questions regarding iron body training.

  1. Rollerbar method. I heard it shouldn’t be used. Instead the goal is to do impact strikes only and only on bones, not muscle. Is this all true?

  2. Sand bucket for grip. Does this help and are there any risk to it?[/QUOTE]

Since no one has answered your original questions, I’ll jump on those. :slight_smile:

Roll bar method: Slightly helpful. Doesn’t hurt to do it. Though Bawang is correct, tapping with a stick or bundle of wire is the most helpful.

Sand bucket for grip. Again slightly helpful, but excess practice can possibly lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Again, as Bawang said, lifting weights will get the same job done and increase your over all health.

Not too bad for a guy in his fifties I think. :slight_smile:

have u lost weight or just not showing ur belleh

strong back of ox

[QUOTE=bawang;1263036]have u lost weight or just not showing ur belleh

strong back of ox[/QUOTE]

LOL!! No, hiding the belly. :slight_smile: Unfortunately, as much insulin as I take for my diabetes, I will never lose weight. Hard enough just trying not to gain more.

[QUOTE=-N-;1263009]Your teacher doesn’t have an another method to teach you?[/QUOTE]

He does. I decided on my own to check around to see what others are doing to see if there was any preferred methods.

[QUOTE=bawang;1263017]if you trained “years ago” and the only kung fu you learned was shaolin do (LOL) I recommend you just let go of your ego and desires and train for health. do some gentle tapping and light weit lifting. you get to stay mobile in your joints, reduce osteoporosis and have better overall health

if u try to go hardcore you gonna get wrecked in 2 months then quit kung fu forever[/QUOTE]

Laugh all you want at the shaolin do. At the time it was the best I could find.

Didn’t realize that getting wrecked meant quitting in 2 months time but I guess that depends on how you define wrecked. I do train for health before anything else. Can’t say I care much for weight lifting though. Resistance band and kettle band training has been working nicely for me. I prefer free weights but I’m usually working out alone. Also been using CoC #1 to improve on my grip which I know isn’t much but had to start somewhere. I’m going to keep raising the bar a little higher each week to see what all I can do.

For the legs, I am going to go with the gentle tapping method with the rolling and slowly increase it from there over time.

Thanks for all the responses.

Don’t complain if you die from blood clots.

[QUOTE=Wannabemonk;1263047]

Laugh all you want at the shaolin do. At the time it was the best I could find. [/QUOTE]
*yoda voice
and that is why you will fail.

[QUOTE=Wannabemonk;1263047] Can’t say I care much for weight lifting though. [/QUOTE]

hard.

Can’t say I care much for weight lifting though

you want strength? pretty dam good place to start getting it.